shaffer



(No Modl.) 2 SheetS Sheet 1. W. C. SHAFFER.

APPARATUS FOR STOPPING TRAINS, SIGNALING, 8w.

Patented May 1, 1883 WITNESSES:

(No Model.) 2 Sheet's--Sheet 2.

W. 0. SHAFFER I APPARATUS FOR STOPPING TRAINS, SIGNALING, m. 7 No. 276,904., .Patented'May 1, 1883.

N. PEYERS. mmum w. wmqmm ac UN ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM G. SHAFFER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PA., ASSIGNOR TO THE RAILROAD SAFETY LOCK AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR STOPPING TRAINS, SIGNALING, 80C.

SPECIFICATION" forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,904, dated May 1, 1883.

Application filed ctobcr7,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. SHAFFER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county ofPhiladelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Stopping Trains, Signaling, 850., which improvement is lolly set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a. perspective view of the apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 1s a side elevation, partly sectional, of a portion thereof enlarged. Figs. 3 is a top view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion thereof. Fig. 5 is a'vertical section thereof in line a: 00, Fig. 4..- Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly sectional, of Fig. 5, and a side elevation ofan attachment of the rear car of a train. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section in line yy, Fig.

2o 4. Fig. 8 is a top view of Fig. 7, the shoe thereof being removed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My invention relates to the class of apparatus adapted for automatically stoppin g railway-trains and signaling in the event of danger along the road.

The invention consists of the provision of means for preventing the improper operation of or tampering with the apparatus,substantially as hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings,Arepresents one of the rails of a railroad, and B represents a rising and falling rail, which is mounted on the outer side of the railA, so as to be engaged by the treads of the wheels of a passing train, and thereby depressed, it being noticed that said rail B is sustained on springs O, which are mounted on the ties or road-bed, and serve 0 to restore the rail to its elevated and normal position.

Attached to the rail B is a dog, 1), which, pivoted to ears a, properly mounted, has its nose adapted to engage with a catch, E, on a 4 rotary shaft, F, the latter having its hearings on the road-bed or suitable hangers, 850., secured to one of the cross-ties. .To one end of the said shaft F is attached an arm, G, the head whereof carries friction-wheels H, which are in contact with the under side of a rising and falling shoe, J, so that the depresssion of shoe without injurious action thereto.

the shoe will depress the arm G, and consequently rotate the shaft F, said shoe extending parallel with the rail A, and having a pivotal connection with a box, K, which is properly sustained on'. the ties, it being noticed that flanges I) depend from the sides of the shoe and enter the box K, so that when said shoe is at its highest position the box is not uncovered, (see Fig. 5,) and the entrance of dirt, rain, snow, ice, 850., thereinto is prevented.

L represents a rotary shaft, which is mounted on the ties adjacent to and parallel with the shaftF, and to the same is secured a 6 catch, M, with which is adapted to engage a dog, N, the bearings whereof are suitably sustained on the cross-ties, said dogbeing attached to the rail B.

P represents a shoe which is keyed or 0th erwise firmly secured to the shaft L, and so disposed on the outer side of the rail that it may be depressed by a foot, Q, Fig. 6, which is connected with the rear car of a train. The shoe J is so located that it may be depressed by a foot, R, depending from and connected with a locomotive-engine, and said foot may be similar to thatshown in the application for Letters Patent of the United States filed by Shaffer and White on or about the 1st day of September, A. D1882.

The foot Q has a pivotal connection with a proper part of the car, to which part are also secured springs c 6, bearing on opposite sides of said foot, the spring 0 being more powerful 8 than the spring 0, and bearing against the rear of the foot, while the spring 0 bears against the front of the same, so that when the'car is advancing, the direction thereof being indicated by the arrows, the foot will be held firmly against the shoe I, so as to depress the latter, and when the car is'backing the foot will yield and ride freely over said It will be seen that when the wheels of the engine reach the rail B and depress the same the dogs D N are operated so as to be disengaged from the catches E M, respectively. The foot It on the engine depresses the shoe J, and consequently the arm G, whereby the shaft F is rotated; When the foot Q of the rear car reaches the shoe P itdepresscs the same, thus rotating the shaft L, it being noticed at this time that the springs O, which have heretofore sustained the rail B in an elevated position, are of such power that they are only overcome by great weight-such as that of the engine or cars of the trainwhereby the depression of the rail B cannot be accomplished by ordinary weight-such as that of one or several persons-and thus improper action of or tampering with the rail B cannot etfect the depression of said rail and operation of the other parts of the apparatus.

The shafts F L have connected with themappliances respectively for breaking and closing electric circuits, and the operation of the stopping and signaling mechanism of the engine and that of the signals along the road inay be similar to that set forth in the Letters Patent No. 250,173, granted to me on the 29th day of November, A. D. 1881.

While springs are described as sustaining the rail B, and adapted to be overcome by the superior weight of the engine or train, it is evident that said rail may be suspended from springs or weighted cords or chains without affecting the nature of the case.

The lower ends of the flanges or sides I) of of the shoe J or top edges of the box K, or both, have sharp edges, so that should ice be admitted to or formed on the inner face of the box K the operation or depression of the shoe causes said sharp edges to out or scrape said ice from its place of attachment or collection.

The devices are intended to be used with electric signals, as stated, but are obviously capable of operating mechanical signaling devices also. It has not been deemed necessary to show in the drawings any specific form of signaling apparatus, as many different ones may be employed, and as the patent referred to explains the operation of one which will an-' swer. The shaft F, by opening the circuit, sets the signal to indicate danger, and the shaft L restores said signal to its usual position; or this operation may be reversed. The office of the two catches described is to lock these shafts independently of each other in order to prevent tampering. It requires considerable force to release said catches.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus for stopping trains, signaling, &c., a locking device comprising a vertically-movable rail, which is sustained by springs or equivalent weights, and detents actuated thereby to lock or release the stopping and signaling devices, whereby when said rail is depressed the locking mechanism is released by superior weight, thus preventing improper operation of or tampering with said apparatus.

2. A vertically-movable rail, in combination with dogs connected therewith, rotary shafts having locking devices or catches and shoes, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

3. The rotary shafts provided with locks or catches, in combination with the dogs connected with the vertically-movable rail, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The rotary shafts, in combination with the arm G, the rail B, the dogs D and N, the shoe P, the shoe J, the foot R, and the foot Q, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The arm G, in combination with the shoe J, which is provided with side flanges, b, and the inclosing-box K, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

' 6. In an apparatus for electrically stopping trains, signaling, &c., the pivoted foot Q, having springs c c on opposite sides thereof, one of said springs being stronger than the other, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The box K, in combination with shoe J,

' at least one of said devices having sharp edges,

and mechanism to operate the train-stopping devices, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAM G. SHAFFER.

itnesses: J OHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, A. P. GRANT. 

